A Life for A Life
by shanpendragon
Summary: The night in which Arthur was born, and Uther's feelings towards his new son, his annoying brother-in-laws, and most importantly his wife. One shot.


**DISCLAIMER - I STILL DO NOT OWN MERLIN... Damn.**

_A/N__ - A little one-shot/drabble about the night Arthur was born told from Uther's point of view._

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A Life for A Life

Why on earth was it taking so long? Ygraine had been in there for 4 hours, and here I was pacing outside the door with only her halfwit brothers for company. I heard her screams, and it took all my strength not to run in there with my sword ready to kill what was hurting her...

But I couldn't, because in there she was giving birth to the heir to the throne, the thing we had waited 5 years for. Our little prince or princess. Our magnificent little child.

9 months ago we had almost given up hope, that was until Nimueh said she could make us have a child through her magic. I must admit, I was sceptical. My father had always taught me to be wary of magic, but he had also told me that there was nothing more important that having heirs to secure your throne. However, 2 months after the enchantment Ygraine told me she was with child, and my life felt complete.

Another scream stopped my thoughts of the past and brought me back to the present.

"Why must she scream like that? I've heard less noise on the battlefield!" Tristan said, covering his ears childishly. He was my least favourite of my brother-in-laws. At least Agravaine was sympathetic to his sister's pain, Tristan just saw his niece or nephews birth as an excuse to get out of Knight Training.

"Childbirth is the woman's battlefield," Agravaine replied, obviously annoyed at his brothers lack of empathy. My respect for the youngest of Ygraine's siblings went up a small amount, I still was not fond of him though.

Another scream, this time my hand went to the handle of my sword instinctively.

"I can see the head. It is almost over, my lady!" I heard Gaius shout. Thank the Gods, my Ygraine wouldn't be in pain for much longer and I would get to meet my son or daughter.

"Thank goodness for that, that means we can eat soon." Tristan said, both Agravaine and I gave him dirty looks.

"Shut up, Tristan!" I shouted, unable to keep my anger inside.

I rested my head on the wooden door, it's cold temperature cooling down my red-hot face. But being closer meant I could hear everything that was going on...

"My lady, you must keep pushing! We know you're tired, but the baby is almost out," I heard Ygraine's maidseravnt say. What was her name? Oh, yes! Her name was Elizabeth, she was married to the Blacksmith and had a young baby of her own. I was surprised that I could remember her name at all, let alone facts about her personal life. However, the fact that she had a baby of her own comforted me. She knew about these sorts of things.

"It hurts so much, Lizzie!" Ygraine shouted, I could hear the pain and tiredness in her voice, and at that moment my desire to rush into the room became even more unbearable.

"I know, my lady." The maid replied, trying to calm her. "The baby is almost here, it's almost over."

I wanted nothing more than to run into that room and calm Ygraine myself, to watch my child enter this world. But out of respect of Ygraine's privacy, only Gaius and her most trusted of servants were allowed in the room.

She screamed again, I could tell it was getting harder.

"One more push, my lady!" Gaius said, the tension in his voice obvious. Why was he worried? What was going on?

The next thing I heard was another scream, but this one was less painful. It was coming to an end.

My heart leapt when I heard it, a cry. A child's cry.

I took my head from the door and stepped back. I felt as if my legs were going to fail me. The tears filled in my eyes. The crying continued. Ha, my baby had lungs the size of mine if I could cry that loud! I wanted to hold it, to take it into my arms and never let go. To look into its eyes and know I would never love anything as much as that little being, safe in my arms.

The door creaked, and Gaius stept out. His face was sombre. What had happened?

"My lord, Ygraine would like to speak to you," He said quietly to me.

"What is it, physician?" I asked, my voice hoarse from worry.

He told me nothing, only turned back into Ygraine's chambers. I followed him into the familiar room, the heat inside was intense.

My eyes searched for the bundle of blankets from which the cries were coming from, but they were stopped as I saw the look on my wife's face. I had seen dead men on the battlefield with more colour. I ran to her bed side, when I reached her my legs gave way and I ended up on my knees cradling her hand on my face.

"Uther, promise me you will look after him, look after Arthur..." Ygraine told me weakly. Part of my mind reveled in the fact that I had a son, but my whole body was focused on the woman in front of me.

"No! My love, you are not going to die!" I sobbed, unfazed by all the people in the room. "I cannot raise him alone!"

"Promise me, my love, tell me you will look after him!" She bleated, I could tell she was falling under.

"I will, Ygraine, I promise you!" I shouted.

"Can you bring him to me?" Ygraine asked weakly to Elizabeth. The maid brought the wriggling bundle of blankets and placed him into Ygraine's chest. "My son," she cooed to him. "My Arthur..."

And then she was gone.

The baby began to cry as if he knew what was happening. I tried to call her, to try and bring her back but I found that I couldn't speak. I could only weap.

"Give me the baby," I told the maid, holding my hands out to take him. She put him into my arms gently and immediately I could feel the warmth coming from his. His cries stopped, and he slept in my arms.

He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen, even in sleep. He had a little tuft of blonde hair, the same colour as Ygraine's. His skin was the colour of cream, eventhough he was still slightly red from the birth. I could already see he had my nose. His lips pouted in an adorable almost smile. I hoped he looked more like Ygraine than he did me. He was the only part of her that I had left.

I then grew angry. Just realsing what had happened. I walked to the guards, trying not to wake the baby.

"Tell Gaius to inform the council of what has happened, and then get the knights to get me Nimueh," I told them quietly. "Inform the executioner that his services are needed." I noticed that Tristan and Agravaine had gone. But, I couldn't think about that for the moment.

My son struggled in my arms, I had tried to be quiet so not to wake him but it had been in vain. He looked up at me, his warm blue eyes exactly the same as Ygraine's had been.

"I am going to look after you, little Prince Arthur, and don't worry. I'm going to make sure that your mothers death does not go unpunished." I said to him, the Great Purge had began.

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_A/N__ - Well, what did you think? Just to inform my readers, I have began the 4th chapter of 'Beyond the Legend' but I just had to write this after watching the episode when Arthur meets his mother. Also, I wanted to show a nicer side to Uther._

_For the Love of Camelot,_

_shanpendragon x _

(_Oh, yeah! And if you didn't realise Elizabeth is Gwen's mum, but the baby talked about was Elyan. I think at this moment she was in the early days of her pregnancy with Gwen...)_


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